IBM has opened its first Quantum Data Center outside the United States, the IBM Quantum Data Center in Europe. This center, the company’s second globally, represents a significant expansion of its quantum computing infrastructure, offering access to advanced quantum systems through the cloud for users around the world.
Located in Ehningen, Germany, it is already operational and has two commercial systems based on IBM Quantum Eagle technology. An additional system based on IBM Quantum Heron will be added soon, allowing calculations beyond what classical computers can simulate.
During the inauguration, Chancellor Olaf Scholz, accompanied by Darío Gil and Jay Gambetta of IBM, toured the center’s facilities, highlighting the advance in quantum computing that IBM Quantum Heron represents. This chip, launched last year, is the company’s most powerful to date and marks a key milestone in IBM’s goal of making quantum computing accessible and useful.
«The opening of our first IBM Quantum Data Center in Europe represents a crucial milestone for the technological advancement of the region. This state-of-the-art facility will foster innovation around quantum computing, creating new opportunities for attracting talent and ensuring that Europe remains at the forefront of global technological advances,” said Ana Paula Assis, General Manager and President of IBM Europe. , Middle East and Africa.
IBM Quantum Data Center in Europe
Once integrated into the European hub, it will be the third Heron system in IBM’s global quantum network, which includes more than 250 companies, universities and research organizations around the world. The IBM Heron has demonstrated up to 16 times the performance and 25 times the speed compared to previous systems.
The deployment of the system along with the other systems already operational at the center will further expand the capacity of IBM, which already offers the largest fleet of quantum computers accessible through the cloud.
IBM’s new quantum data center in Europe will soon feature an IBM Quantum Heron-based system, delivering reduced error rates, 16x higher performance and 25x faster speed than 2022 IBM Quantum systems
The opening ceremony also included the participation of the Minister of Economy, Labor and Tourism of the State of Baden-Württemberg, Dr. Nicole Hoffmeister-Kraut, and the CEO of IBM, Arvind Krishna, who, together with Scholz, gave a speech on the impact of quantum computing in Europe. In addition, Scholz maintained a dialogue with several IBM leaders, addressing the relevance of the growth of this technology in the region.
Among those attending this event were senior managers from global companies such as Crédit Mutuel, Bosch, E.ON and Volkswagen Group, as well as representatives from research institutions such as the University of the Basque Country and Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft. These organizations, which are part of the IBM Quantum Network, will now be able to leverage the capabilities of the new quantum data center to advance research into algorithms and applications that could help solve complex challenges in their respective sectors.
